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| Posted: 25 Jun 2021 02:31 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new machine learning technique to holistically assess water quality data in order to detect groundwater samples likely impacted by recent methane leakage during oil and gas production. Using that model, the team concluded that unconventional drilling methods like hydraulic fracturing do not necessarily incur more environmental problems than conventional oil and gas drilling. |
| Study confirms the low likelihood that SARS-CoV-2 on hospital surfaces is infectious Posted: 25 Jun 2021 12:56 PM PDT A new study confirms the low likelihood that coronavirus contamination on hospital surfaces is infectious. The study is the original report on recovering near-complete SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences directly from surface swabs. |
| Emissions cause delay in rainfall Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:04 AM PDT Rising greenhouse gases and declining aerosols have triggered an approximate four-day delay in rainfall over tropical land and the Sahel. |
| 'Dragon man' fossil may replace Neanderthals as our closest relative Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:04 AM PDT A near-perfectly preserved ancient human fossil known as the Harbin cranium sits in the Geoscience Museum in Hebei GEO University. The largest of Homo skulls, scientists now say this skull represents a newly discovered human species named Homo longi or 'Dragon Man.' Their findings suggest that the Homo longi lineage may be our closest relatives -- and may reshape our understanding of human evolution. |
| People across the world favor paid parental leave, study finds Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:04 AM PDT Although the United States is the only wealthy nation that doesn't guarantee paid leave to mothers or fathers after the arrival of a new child, Americans endorse providing paid time off for parents nearly as much as people from other countries. About 82% of Americans support paid maternity leave, just slightly less than the 86% who support it in 26 wealthy nations, a new study shows. |
| Throwing an 'axion bomb' into a black hole challenges fundamental law of physics Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:04 AM PDT New research shows how the fundamental law of conservation of charge could break down near a black hole. |
| Scientists discover how dengue vaccine fails to protect against disease Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:04 AM PDT Researchers discovered that a small subpopulation of antibodies binding to unique sites on each serotype are linked to protection. The research provides important information for vaccine developers to consider when creating a dengue vaccine, which has long eluded scientists. |
| Putting functional proteins in their place Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:03 AM PDT Using DNA, scientists organized bioactive proteins in desired 2D and 3D ordered arrays -- promising for structural biology, biomedicine, and more. |
| Bigger may not always be better: Density governs receptor activation on immune cells Posted: 25 Jun 2021 09:03 AM PDT Scientists have gained novel insights into how an important class of immune receptors called tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFR) are activated. |
| 'Fool's gold' not so foolish after all Posted: 25 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT New research has found tiny amounts of gold can be trapped inside pyrite, commonly known as 'fool's gold,' which would make it much more valuable than its name suggests. |
| Using radio signals to image hidden and speeding objects Posted: 25 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT Researchers have developed a method for using radio signals to create real-time images and videos of hidden and moving objects, which could help firefighters find escape routes or victims inside buildings filled with fire and smoke. The technique could also help track hypersonic objects such as missiles and space debris. |
| Can a calculator predict your risk of dementia? Posted: 25 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT Researchers have built and validated an online calculator that empowers individuals 55 and over to better understand the health of their brain and how they can reduce their risk of being diagnosed with dementia in the next five years. |
| Posted: 25 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) significantly affected more Black and Latino children than white children, with Black children at the highest risk, according to a new study. Researchers also found cardiac complications, including systolic myocardial dysfunction and valvular regurgitation, were more common in MIS-C patients who were critically ill. |
| AI used to predict unknown links between viruses and mammals Posted: 25 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT A new study could help scientists mitigate the future spread of zoonotic and livestock diseases caused by existing viruses. Researchers have used a form or artificial intelligence (AI) called machine-learning to predict more than 20,000 unknown associations between known viruses and susceptible mammalian species. |
| Small-scale engineering could bring big progress in medical care Posted: 25 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT Researchers are using bioengineering to trigger and control cell differentiation and transition is expand possibilities for diagnostics, vaccine development and therapeutic treatments. |
| Scientists develop CRISPR/Cas9-based gene drive in plants Posted: 25 Jun 2021 07:05 AM PDT Researchers have created a CRISPR-Cas9-based gene drive designed for plants. The new technology, which allows scientists to cut and copy key genetic elements, helps scientists breed plants that defend against crop diseases and withstand the impacts of climate change. |
| Early findings of Alzheimer's study in diverse populations now available to researchers Posted: 24 Jun 2021 05:04 PM PDT A growing trove of data to help scientists understand the biology of Alzheimer's disease among diverse populations within the context of sociocultural, behavioral and environmental factors is now available. |
| Artificial intelligence breakthrough gives longer advance warning of ozone issues Posted: 24 Jun 2021 02:08 PM PDT Ozone levels in the earth's troposphere (the lowest level of our atmosphere) can now be forecasted with accuracy up to two weeks in advance, a remarkable improvement over current systems that can accurately predict ozone levels only three days ahead. The new artificial intelligence system could lead to improved ways to control high ozone problems and even contribute to solutions for climate change issues. |
| Recycling next-generation solar panels fosters green planet Posted: 24 Jun 2021 02:08 PM PDT Designing a recycling strategy for a new, forthcoming generation of photovoltaic solar cells - made from metal halide perovskites, a family of crystalline materials with structures like the natural mineral calcium titanate - will add a stronger dose of environmental friendliness to a green industry, according to new research. |
| Mosquito love songs send mixed message about immunity Posted: 24 Jun 2021 02:08 PM PDT A new study of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes investigates how a mating cue called 'harmonic convergence' might affect immunity against parasites, bacteria and dengue virus in offspring, which has important implications for trade-offs male mosquitoes make between investing energy towards immunity or investing it on traits that impact mating and fitness. |
| Quantum dots keep atoms spaced to boost catalysis Posted: 24 Jun 2021 02:08 PM PDT Engineers use graphene quantum dots to trap transition metals for high atom loading in single atom catalysis. |
| Optical superoscillation without side waves Posted: 24 Jun 2021 02:08 PM PDT A sharp-edged aperture is a promising solution for eliminating side lobes from superoscillatory waves. |
| Muscling up with nanoparticle-based anti-inflammatory therapy Posted: 24 Jun 2021 01:17 PM PDT Researchers have developed a new approach in which specifically designed anti-inflammatory nanoparticles (NPs) that could be applied locally and selectively to chronically inflamed muscles severely affected or at more immediate risk of deterioration, and maybe difficult to reach with oral therapeutics. |
| Herbivore gut fungi found to produce unique building blocks of antibiotics Posted: 24 Jun 2021 01:17 PM PDT Chemical engineers have been researching the anaerobic fungi found in the guts of herbivores, which make it possible for those animals to fuel themselves with sugars and starches extracted from fibrous plants. Recent work has centered on how these powerful fungi might be used to extract value-added products from the nonedible parts of plants -- roots, stems and leaves -- that are generally considered waste products. |
| Genetic discovery could help guide treatment for aggressive childhood cancer Posted: 24 Jun 2021 01:16 PM PDT A new study could lead to improved decision making in assigning treatments for children with the aggressive cancer rhabdomyosarcoma after revealing key genetic changes underlying development of the disease. |
| Alaska infrastructure at risk of earlier failure Posted: 24 Jun 2021 01:16 PM PDT Roads, bridges, pipelines and other types of infrastructure in Alaska and elsewhere in the Arctic will deteriorate faster than expected due to a failure by planners to account for the structures' impact on adjacent permafrost, according to new research. |
| How immune cells can be trained to fight infections Posted: 24 Jun 2021 01:16 PM PDT The body's immune cells fight off microbes and other invaders, and can also be reprogrammed or 'trained' to respond even more aggressively to such threats, report scientists who have discovered the fundamental rule underlying this process in a particular class of cells. Their findings could help pave the way for targeted strategies to enhance the immune system. |
| Light-harvesting nanoparticle catalysts show promise in quest for renewable carbon-based fuels Posted: 24 Jun 2021 01:16 PM PDT Researchers report that small quantities of useful molecules such as hydrocarbons are produced when carbon dioxide and water react in the presence of light and a silver nanoparticle catalyst. Their validation study - made possible through the use of a high-resolution analytical technique - could pave the way for CO2-reduction technologies that allow industrial-scale production of renewable carbon-based fuels. |
| Gastrulation research reveals novel details about embryonic development Posted: 24 Jun 2021 12:26 PM PDT Scientists revise the current textbook knowledge about gastrulation, the formation of the basic body plan during embryonic development. Their study in mice has implications for cell replacement strategies and cancer research. |
| Vegetation growth in Northern Hemisphere stunted by water constraints in warming climate Posted: 24 Jun 2021 12:26 PM PDT A new study of vegetation growth in the Northern Hemisphere over the past 30 years has found that vegetation is becoming increasingly water-limited as global temperatures increase, which has the potential to reduce plants' ability to absorb atmospheric CO2, increasing greenhouse gasses. |
| Decoding humans' survival from coronaviruses Posted: 24 Jun 2021 11:22 AM PDT Researchers analyzed the genomes of more than 2,500 modern humans from 26 worldwide populations, to better understand how humans have adapted to historical coronavirus outbreaks. |
| Leopard gecko skin tumors traced to cancer gene Posted: 24 Jun 2021 11:15 AM PDT In a rare gecko color variety known as Lemon Frost, scientists have traced an unusual coloring and tendency to form tumors to a gene linked to human melanoma. |
| Scientists can predict and design single atom catalysts for important chemical reactions Posted: 24 Jun 2021 11:15 AM PDT Guided by quantum chemical calculations, scientists design and test a new single atom catalyst that converts propane to propylene with 100% efficiency, with little deactivation by coking. If adopted by industry, the catalyst could save billions of dollars and stop millions of tons of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere. |
| Glial cells help mitigate neurological damage in Huntington's disease Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT Glia affected by Huntington's disease respond by tuning down synapse genes, which has a protective effect. |
| Ethane proxies for methane in oil and gas emissions Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT Measuring ethane in the atmosphere shows that the amounts of methane going into the atmosphere from oil and gas wells and contributing to greenhouse warming is higher than suggested by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, according to an international team of scientists who spent three years flying over three areas of the U.S. during all four seasons. |
| Cosmic dawn occurred 250 to 350 million years after Big Bang Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT A new study suggests that the NASA James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), scheduled to launch in November, will be sensitive enough to observe the birth of galaxies directly. |
| Membrane proteins of bacteria and humans show surprising similarities Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT The cells of simple organisms, such as bacteria, as well as human cells are surrounded by a membrane, which fulfills various tasks including protecting the cell from stress. Researchers have now discovered that a membrane protein found in bacteria has a similar structure and function as a group of proteins that are responsible for remodeling and rebuilding the cell membrane in humans. No connection between the two protein groups was known before. |
| Are zebra mussels eating or helping toxic algae? Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT While invasive zebra mussels consume small plant-like organisms called phytoplankton, researchers discovered during a long-term study that zebra mussels can actually increase Microcystis, a type of phytoplankton known as 'blue-green algae' or cyanobacteria, that forms harmful floating blooms. |
| Natural history and conservation importance of Chinese mountain cat Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT In a large study of Chinese cats, genetic detectives highlight the evolutionary uniqueness and premier conservation importance of the elusive Chinese mountain cat (Felis silvestris bieti), found only in the Tibetan plateau of China. |
| A 'tasty' protein may lead to new ways to treat metabolic and immune diseases Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT The same taste-sensing molecule that helps you enjoy a meal from your favorite restaurant may one day lead to improved ways to treat diabetes and other metabolic and immune diseases. TRPM5 is a specialized protein that is concentrated in the taste buds, where it helps relay messages to and from cells. It has long been of interest to researchers due to its roles in taste perception and blood sugar regulation. |
| New CRISPR 3.0 system for highly efficient gene activation in plants Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT Biologists have introduced a new and improved CRISPR 3.0 system in plants, focusing on gene activation. This third generation system focuses on multiplexed gene activation that can boost the function of multiple genes simultaneously. This system boasts four to six times the activation capacity of current state-of-the-art CRISPR technology, demonstrating high accuracy and efficiency in up to seven genes at once. |
| Posted: 24 Jun 2021 10:55 AM PDT A new study shows that inhibitory neurons do more than just inhibit neuron activity like an off-switch; paradoxically, they actually increase the amount of information transmitted through the nervous system. |
| People with fibromyalgia are substituting CBD for opioids to manage pain Posted: 24 Jun 2021 09:17 AM PDT As the ravages of the opioid epidemic lead many to avoid these powerful painkillers, a significant number of people with fibromyalgia are finding an effective replacement in CBD-containing products, finds a new study. |
| Enlisting the newly discovered L-IST RNA in the fight against type 2 diabetes Posted: 24 Jun 2021 09:17 AM PDT Across the world, type 2 diabetes is on the rise. A research group has discovered a new gene that may hold the key to preventing and treating lifestyle related diseases such as type 2 diabetes. |
| Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:45 AM PDT A new study found that plant-based protein shakes may be potential viable alternatives to milk-based whey protein shakes, particularly in people with need of careful monitoring of glucose levels. |
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